Warwick:Dead Sounding??

[Asgard222]

Hi guys, I searched this and nothing came up.

So, when I went to Manny's Music last Sunday, I saw a brand new Warwick Corvette $$ on the wall. I plug it into an amp, and start to play. G string sounds fantastic, but the D,A,E strings sound completely dead. I play with the controls, still same dead sound. I thought that this was a manufacturing problem so I go to Sam Ash across the street, to try out their Warwicks.

I saw a Thumb on the wall and I plug it in. Same thing: Dead D,A, and E string. I try ANOTHER Warwick (forgot model) and SAME THING. I tried at least 3 models at Sam Ash and all of them sounded completely dead.

I think this is just dead batteries making the pickups sound weaker, but idk, could be something worse.

I saw a really great deal on ebay of a Warwick, but I'm kind of reluctant now because of this. Help?

 

[thetawaves]

Curious. All my strings (warwick black labels) on my Warwick $$ corvette are clear as a bell...maybe a regional fault with the string provider?

I suppose my warwick may not be the best example...swamp ash body and neck through maple/ovangkol/swamp ash neck with a maple fretboard. Zingy!

 

[Asgard222]

Curious. All my strings (warwick black labels) on my Warwick $$ corvette are clear as a bell...maybe a regional fault with the string provider?

Yeah maybe the strings. Hmmmm, like I edited above, maybe the batteries were dead. Like you said, I think it is not likely for Warwicks to be dead sounding.

 

[vegas532]

This is the reason why I had a Warwick Thumb neck-thru for about three weeks before ordering my first Wal. I also find them"dead sounding", but it's all relative to the ear of the beholder I guess.

YMMV

 

[rythmicillusion]

I had a 5 String Warwick Corvette for several months. And I had a somewhat similar problem...the B, E and A string, if I remember correctly, sounded almost dead and "soapy" to my ears.

Things that helped reduce the problem...
1) Strings: Especially if you're trying a stringed instrument in arms reach of anyone traveling through a high traffic music store, the same strings are going to stay on an instrument until it sells, unless a string breaks of course.

This could mean hundreds of hands (and whatever filth they may carry) tainting the strings and fretboard for several months and sometimes years. A string change often really does the trick.

2) Amp: It is a rare occasion when I go into a music shop and get to try out an electric bass through a rig I like in any sort of familiar context.

Keep in mind that you may simply not like the signature "growl" that most every Warwick is known for.

 

[thndrstk6]

One thing that I have noticed is that Warwicks actual sound is great but the fret noise is not as bright and punchy as other basses. The only time they are as bright is when you have cleaned your frets and you have new strings on. I think it has a lot to with their brass frets. You don't hear the fret noise as much in the mix but when your playing by yourself the bass may sound dead.

Warwicks are also made of more compressed sounding woods. Lots of ovangkol and bubinga. The maples and ashes are the bright woods.

The only reason I can see why only the G string was brighter than the rest might be because the G strings break and need to be replaced more often.

That's my guess.

 

[brisonic]

string crud